Axe to Grind

by A L Fraine

  “Oh, I see.”

  “I just think we need to cool things down a bit. What I did last night, I don’t normally do that. I think I just need some time.”

  “I understand,” Jon replied feeling his heart sink. He felt sad, and part of him wanted to fight her on it. He wanted to plead his case and get her to rethink things. But there was another part of him that actually agreed with her, but for different reasons.

  He’d enjoyed their evening together, and enjoyed feeling that close to someone again, but his guilt over Kate getting kidnapped welcomed her choice and felt that slowing down was the right thing to do.

  “I’m not saying never,” she continued. “I’m just saying, not now, okay?”

  “I get it.”

  She sighed. “I don’t think you do. I think you’re going to hold a grudge.”

  “No. Absolutely not.” He took a breath. “Look, yeah, sure. I like you, I do. But that was just one night, you know? I’m a grown man and I’m more than capable of giving you some time. In fact, I think I kind of agree with you, actually. This has moved quite fast and I do wonder if we did the right thing. Also, you’re an amazing detective and I wouldn’t want to lose that. I need you on my team.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “One hundred percent. Besides, I wouldn’t want to be on the SIU without Barry the Finger by my side,” he replied with a smile.

  Kate blinked, her eyebrows raising as she stared at him. “Oh God, is that a thing now?”

  “Don’t know. You’ll have to come back to work to find out.”

  “I can’t wait,” she replied sarcastically.

  “Atta’ girl. I’ll see you soon, alright?”

  Jon stepped out of Kate’s ward and headed outside into the fresh air, leaving the sterile confines of the hospital behind. He wasn’t sure what the future held for him, or for Kate, but tomorrow was another day, and he was looking forward to seeing what it brought.

  THE END

  Book 2, A Tangled Web, is available here:

  www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08RY6QSYL/

  Author Note

  Thank you for reading this book. I hope you enjoyed the first book in this new series and will join me in book two soon.

  I’ve enjoyed writing it and drawing on my own experiences as someone born and raised in Nottinghamshire, who then moved to Surrey for a job.

  My move wasn’t quite as exciting or as dangerous as Jon Pilgrim’s was, but it should help inform this series going forward.

  If you would like to learn more about Kate’s past, you might want to pick up my DC O’Connell trilogy of books, which details Kate’s first few cases as a detective on the Surrey Murder Team.

  They’re not essential reading for this series though, and it shouldn’t mar your enjoyment of the DCI Pilgrim series in any way.

  Thanks again, and I hope to see you enjoying book two soon.

  Kindest Regards,

  A L Fraine.

  www.alfraineauthor.co.uk